The invention relates to a closure for at least one opening of an air-conditioning system, in particular for closing one or more openings of the air-conditioning system, for example, openings of a duct or air-guiding element that is assigned to the air-conditioning system.
Air-conditioning systems are being used increasingly widely owing, for example, to the increased comfort levels in automobiles that are becoming the standard. In such systems, for example, air from the surroundings or fresh air is fed from the outside to the air-conditioning system through ducts or air-guiding elements. This air is adjusted to a desired temperature by mixing with warm air in the air-conditioning system, for example, in a mixing chamber. When the fresh air or external air is set to the desired temperature, it is fed into an internal space through ducts. In order to control or regulate the airflow to, in and/or from the air-conditioning system and also to direct it in specific directions, openings to and from the air-conditioning system are provided at outlets of the ducts and in the air-conditioning system itself. Such openings are usually each provided with a closure.
So-called as vane closing elements, closing elements with one or more joints or shutters or shutter cartridges, are generally used as the closure. By means of the closure, which brings about a change in the opening cross section by changing the position of the closure, the airstream that is fed through the opening is controlled or directed from and/or to the air-conditioning system, or also in the air-conditioning system itself.
In this regard, a separate associated closing element (also referred to as door) is usually assigned for each opening. However, sometimes only one closing element is also provided for two openings or outlets. In such a context, each closing element is usually activated separately, i.e., an actuation element or an adjustment device is assigned to each closing element.
Furthermore, the closures from the prior art each comprise a joint by means of which the closure or its segments are moved, so that a specific space is required for movement. Consequently, a relatively large installation space must be provided. In this regard, when there is such a movement—guided about a joint or axle—of the closing element, there is also a change in direction of the airstream that is guided through the opening. It is particularly disadvantageous here that, as a result of the articulated arrangement of the closing elements or segments, the mixing chambers in the air-conditioning system that are provided for conditioning the air do not have a constant volume, so that an approximately constant value can be set only with a relatively large degree of effort and complex control and regulating functions.